Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Sichuan Hot and Sour Soup
四川酸辣湯
Recipe overview
White pepper supplies the heat and vinegar the tang in this soup of pork strips, tofu, wood ears and egg ribbons; add vinegar at the end to preserve its aroma.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 100 g Pork tenderloin
- 200 g Soft tofu
- 60 g Cooked bamboo shoots
- 60 g Fresh wood-ear mushrooms
- 100 g Beaten whole eggs
Soup seasoning
- 1 L Low-salt chicken stock
- 15 ml Light soy sauce
- 5 ml Dark soy sauce
- 1 g Salt
Slurry
- 20 g Cornstarch
- 40 ml Cold water
Finishing seasoning
- 30 ml Chinkiang vinegar
- 1.5 g Ground white pepper
- 5 ml Sesame oil
02
Tools
- Soup pot
- Knife and two boards
- Small bowls and fork
- Ladle, spatula and food thermometer
03
Steps
Step 1
Slice shoots and mushrooms
Rinse and drain cooked bamboo shoots and fresh wood ears, then slice into thin strips.
Step 2
Slice pork
Use a separate board to slice pork across the grain into roughly 3 mm strips; refrigerate until needed.
Step 3
Cut tofu
Drain tofu and cut into strips about 1 cm thick, placing gently on a plate to avoid breaking.
Step 4
Beat eggs
Beat 100 g whole egg with a fork until no lumps of white remain and place beside the pot.
Step 5
Mix slurry
Mix 20 g cornstarch with 40 ml cold water until smooth; place vinegar, white pepper and sesame oil in a separate small bowl.
Step 6
Boil the stock
Bring stock, light soy, dark soy and salt to a boil, then reduce to medium heat.
Step 7
Add pork strips
Add pork strips separately, gently stir apart to prevent clumps and simmer about 2 minutes.
Step 8
Cook shoots and mushrooms
Add bamboo shoots and wood ears and simmer about 3 minutes; the thickest pork strip must reach 75°C at the centre, so cook longer if needed.
Step 9
Add tofu
Slide in tofu and simmer gently about 2 minutes until hot throughout; nudge rather than stir roughly.
Step 10
Thicken the soup
Restir slurry, pour slowly around the edge while stirring gently and simmer about 1 minute until evenly thick and lightly coating a ladle.
Step 11
Make egg ribbons
Keep soup gently bubbling, drizzle egg in a thin stream, wait about 10 seconds before stirring lightly and simmer about 1 minute until fully set.
Step 12
Finish with vinegar and pepper
Turn off heat, stir in vinegar, white pepper and sesame oil, then divide among four bowls and serve hot.
Common mistakes
- Early vinegar addition followed by long boiling weakens its aroma.
- Dry cornstarch added directly forms lumps.
- Vigorous stirring as egg enters makes cloudy fragments.
- Replacing all white pepper with chilli oil changes the soup's character.
Tips
Slice and portion everything before cooking to keep the 15-minute soup stage manageable. Aim for a lightly thickened soup, adding slurry gradually. Refrigeration thickens it further; add a little water when reheating, heat thoroughly, then adjust with a little vinegar.
